"This
information will be given to local and state policymakers with the hope that
looking at areas of success as well as areas where improvements are needed will
help guide resources,'' said Gilda Z. Jacobs, League president chief executive officer.

Statewide, the teen births and repeat births to teens declined from 2000
to 2010, while births to unmarried women increased, the report stated. About 10,000 babies each year are born at 5.5-pounds or lighter. Low-birthweight babies represent more than half of Michigan's infant deaths each year.

Saginaw County has the highest number of unwed mothers in the state with 55 percent of babies born to unmarried mothers. Of all the mothers in Saginaw County, 14 percent are younger than the age of 20.

In Midland County, 33 percent of mothers are unmarried. That's a 10 percent decrease from 2000. In teen births, the county ranked 14 statewide with 7.6 percent of mothers under the age of 20.

About 44 percent of Bay County mothers are unmarried and 10 percent of births are to teen mothers.

Ontonagon and
Keweenaw counties had too few measures with reliable rates for an overall
ranking.